NEPI Engine – Version Release Notes

Version #: 3.0.2

Issued: Dec 6th, 2024

NEPI RUI Updates

1. Optimized application selector pages for better performance and responsiveness

Version #: 3.0.1

Issued: Dec 6th, 2024

NEPI Applications

1. Fixed bugs in the AI Alerts and AI Pan-Tilt Tracker Applications

Version #: 3.0.0

Issued: Nov 20th, 2024

NEPI Image Updates

1. OpenCV, Open3D, Pytorch, and TorchVision all installed with CUDA GPU support

NEPI SDK Updates

1. New consolidated NEPI_Managers source-code repository
2. New Driver Management System with configuration controls for each driver
3. New AI Framework Management System with configuration controls for each framework and model
4. New Application Management System with configuration controls for each application

NEPI Hardware Drivers

1. New consolidated NEPI_Drivers source-code repository
2. Added hardware level configuration settings systems for all sensor and control drivers
3. Added resolution control to Zed Stereo Camera drivers
4. Optimized ethernet communications settings for reduced GenICam camera interfaces
5. Improved Pan and Tilt interface
6. Improved LED interface

NEPI AI Framework System

1. New consolidated NEPI_AI_Frameworks source-code repository
2. New AI Framework for YoloV5 model support

NEPI Applications

1. New consolidated NEPI_Apps source-code repository
2. New applications for publishing image, video, and pointcloud files within the NEPI environment
3. New AI Alert, Targeting, and PanTilt Tracking applications adopted from automation scripts
4. New Image and Pointcloud Viewer applications

NEPI RUI Updates

1. Restructured to organize applications under functional headings
2. Restructured to support real-time display updates as drivers, AI models, and applications are enabled/disabled

Version #: 2.2.0.2

Issued: Apr 1st, 2024

NEPI SDK Updates

SYSTEM:

1. Bug fix: Incorrect path was used for sys config when performing user restore

NEPI Hardware Drivers

1. None

NEPI RUI Updates

1. None

Version #: 2.2.0

Issued: Apr 18th, 2024

NEPI SDK Updates

SYSTEM:

1. Updated READMEs and some convenience scripts
2. Modify logic for reporting licensed/unlicensed per latest open-source and commercial definitions

NEPI Hardware Drivers

1. IDX: Default sensor framerates are now MEDIUM
2. ONVIF: Update remote device clocks on connection (Sidus P/T requirement)
3. ONVIF: Add specialized Sidus SS109 P/T driver
4. ONVIF: Improved ROS Node management
5. ONVIF: Now user specifies whether devices support image streaming and/or pan/tilt rather than auto-detecting
6.  ONVIF: Use SOAP directly rather than python-onvif-zeep in discovery and management for better compatibility (Sidus P/T Requirement)
7. ONVIF: Bugfix — proper URI is derived now on re-discovery/re-connect
8. ONVIF: Improve resolution mapping (proper ordering based on total pixel count, not just width)
9. ONVIF: More robust capability query
10. ONVIF: User can specify drivers for IDX and PTX nodes (ROS and RUI)
11. PTX: Fix some copy/paste bugs in Python PTX inteface class identified during testing
12. IDX: Provide max/min available range in meters in IDXStatus message
13. System: Tune ethernet settings to support better sensor throughput (major improvement for Genicam GigE sensors)
14.  Genicam: Fix some color and resolution conversion issues

NEPI RUI Updates

1. Display ranges in meters, not ratio, in RUI

Version #: 2.1.5.3

Issued: Mar 6th, 2024

NEPI SDK Updates

SYSTEM:

1. None

NEPI Hardware Drivers

1. Bug fix: Onvif manager now properly loading camera and p/t config files.

NEPI RUI Updates

1. None

Version #: 2.1.5.2

Issued: Apr 1st, 2024

NEPI SDK Updates

SYSTEM:

1. Added Open3D with Cuda Support

NEPI Hardware Drivers

1. None

NEPI RUI Updates

1. Added dropdown driver selection for ONVIF application to choose from a generic driver or custom driver

Version #: 2.1.5.1

Issued: Mar 1st, 2024

NEPI SDK Updates

SYSTEM:

1. Explicitly allow HIL plugin to mavros node when auto-launching

NEPI Hardware Drivers

1. None

NEPI RUI Updates

1. Added dropdown driver selection for ONVIF application to choose from a generic driver or custom driver

Version #: 2.1.5

Issued: Feb 29th , 2024

NEPI SDK Updates

SYSTEM:

1. Documentation: README updates throughout

NEPI Hardware Drivers

1. New LSX generic interface for lighting control and initial Sealite implementation
2. IDX: Bugfix — Consistent range window functions for IDX
3. IDX: Add Zed 2i as known Zed stereo camera
4. IDX: Bugfix — Zed camera data saving now works
5. Autolauncher: Mavlink (e.g., Pixhawk) and Sealite now integrated in standard NEPI autodetction
6. ONVIF: Auto-fix invalid characters in user-supplied device “basenames”
7. RBX: Added some new fields to status message

NEPI RUI Updates

1. None

Version #: 2.1.4.1

Issued: Feb 19th , 2024

NEPI SDK Updates

SYSTEM:

1. Fix ONVIF detection issues discovered when testing a couple new devices

NEPI Hardware Drivers

1. Update new LXS msg and srv definitions following completed initial LSX implementation

NEPI RUI Updates

1. None

Version #: 2.1.4

Issued: Feb 16th , 2024

NEPI SDK Updates

SYSTEM:

1. Added Genicam support and auto-detect
2. Fix some issues with config. file identification for auto-launched nodes
3. Disable all Snapshot event actions by default 

NEPI Hardware Drivers

1. Added ONVIF management API for auto-detect and user-specified credentials
2. Extend PTX interface to support interactive jogging and waypoints
3. PTX reverse-control settings now stored on-device
4. Generic ONVIF PTZ integration as NEPI PTX device
5. Add built-in Zed camera support as IDX sensor (including auto-detect/auto-launch)
6. Lots of new message and service files to adhere to latest NEPI NEX spec.

NEPI RUI Updates

1. None

Version #: 2.1.3

Issued: Dec 8th , 2023

NEPI SDK Updates

SYSTEM:

1. Add license files and license header comments throughout
2. Submodule path updates for GitHub transition
3. Basic, consistent READMEs throughout
4. Time Sync: RTC/hardware clock support
5. Check fstab first for nepi_storage path
6. Bug fix: Now gpsd_ros_client publishes the expected heading message type
7. Remove Numurus 3DX URDF files from NEPI sources
8. Change target directory for source-code rsync

NEPI Hardware Drivers

1. None

NEPI RUI Updates

1. None

Version #: 2.1.2

Issued: Dec 8th , 2023

NEPI SDK Updates

SYSTEM:

1. Avoid installing any Darknet model files — leave that entirely to nepi_storage deployment process
2. Add new tracked “databases” folder to nepi_storage

NEPI Hardware Drivers

1. None

NEPI RUI Updates

1. None

Version #: 2.1.1

Issued: Nov 27th , 2023

NEPI SDK Updates

SYSTEM:

1. Eliminate some catkin/CMake errors due to non-installation of empty folders
2. Support Jetson A/B scheme in addition to standard NEPI A/B rootfs scheme
3. New post-build script to install start-up services

NEPI Hardware Drivers

1. None

NEPI RUI Updates

1. None

Version #: 2.1.0

Issued: Nov 8th, 2023

NEPI SDK Updates

SYSTEM:

1. General: Port all to Python 3 (ROS Noetic) for Ubuntu 20.04 switch
2. Time Sync Mgr: Properly report when NTP is synchronized
3. Network Mgr: Check for internet connectivity and report
4. Autolauncher: Allow absolute paths for configured auto-launched node config files
5. AUTOMATION:
6. Automation Mgr: Sort scripts alphabetically in query responses
7. Automation Mgr: Improve ability to stop/kill running scripts
8. Automation Mgr: Log all script console output to files

CONNECT:

1. NEPI Connect Bridge: Available LB data sources no longer static

NEPI Hardware Drivers

1. Autolauncher: Ardupilot default config for mavros node

NEPI RUI Updates

1. General: Larger panel for menu subitems
2. General: Port to Python 3 and Ubuntu 20.04
3. Automation Tab: Automation scripts now listed alphabetically
4. Automation Tab: Display script log size as part of status
5. AU Tab: Always show the image corresponding to classifier state
6. Dashboard Tab: Use NTP sync status directly to determine NTP status color
7. (New) Imagery Tab: New dedicated multi-image viewer page
8. Imagery Tab: Single snapshot button on Imagery page instead of per-image
9. Sequencer Tab: Move page to Applications submenu
10. Admin Tab: Obscure WiFi client passwords
11. Admin Tab: Indicate when system has internet connection
12. Connect Tab: Improved page responsiveness
13. IDX Sensor Tab: Renamed Imaging and allows selecting any image under IDX sensor namespace

Version #: 2.0.4

Issued: Oct 11th, 2023

NEPI SDK Updates

SYSTEM:

1. Improved ownership and permissions settings for user partition
2. ROS node user-modified config files now reside in user partition
3. ROS node user and select system config files can be restored from user partition

NEPI Hardware Drivers

1. General fixes for V4L2 camera drivers
2. Auto-start IQR Pan/Tilt ROS node when hardware is detected (plug-and-play)
3. IDX Node: Allow configurable ignored L4V2 devices (default list includes Zed2, Zed-M, and some RB5 built-ins)

NEPI RUI Updates

1. Avoid showing developer license warning on page refresh and dropped connection
2. CONNECT Page: Updated text labels and text field behaviors
3. ADMIN Page: Added a User Restore (Advanced Setting) button to support post-sw-update settings restoration
4. PAN/TILT Page: Look and feel updates